This Hot Honey Halloumi Chicken Linguine is the ultimate fusion of sweet heat and savory comfort. Featuring a silky, cream-cheese-based tomato sauce and golden, glazed halloumi, it is a restaurant-quality meal that you can easily whip up at home.
The dish offers a perfect balance of salty cheese and spicy honey, creating an addictive flavor profile that will have everyone reaching for seconds.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Savory and herbaceous with a distinct sweet-and-spicy finish from the hot honey glaze and salty halloumi.
- Textures: Creamy, smooth pasta sauce contrasted with tender chicken and the signature firm, golden-brown bite of fried halloumi.
- Total Time: Approximately 20–25 minutes.
- Difficulty Level: Easy-Medium; involves simultaneous cooking of pasta and sauce with a quick separate sear for the cheese.
What You’ll Need
This recipe utilizes a single chicken breast and a small nest of linguine, making it perfect for a concentrated, flavor-packed meal. The base of the sauce relies on light cream cheese and blistered cherry tomatoes for natural sweetness, while the signature topping is created using halloumi cheese, honey, and red pepper flakes.
Ingredient Notes
- Halloumi Cheese – Known for its high melting point, this cheese is perfect for frying. It provides a wonderful salty contrast to the sweet honey glaze.
- Light Cream Cheese – This creates a velvety sauce without the need for heavy cream, keeping the dish feeling light yet indulgent.
- Cherry Tomatoes – These are blistered and smashed into the pan to create a fresh, rustic tomato base for the sauce.
- Honey and Red Pepper Flakes – This combination creates the “hot honey” that glazes the halloumi, providing that trendy sweet-heat finish.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Vegetables – You can add a handful of fresh spinach to the sauce just before tossing the pasta for added color and nutrients.
- Pasta Shapes – While linguine is excellent for holding the creamy sauce, fettuccine or spaghetti are great alternatives.
- Protein – If you prefer, you can use shrimp instead of chicken, following the same seasoning and searing method.
How to Make Hot Honey Halloumi Chicken Linguine
1. Season the Chicken In a small bowl, toss the diced chicken breast with the paprika, garlic salt, and onion powder. Give it a light coat of cooking spray and mix well to ensure every piece is evenly seasoned.
2. Boil the Pasta Cook the linguine in a pot of salted boiling water for 8–10 minutes, or until it is tender yet firm. Before draining, make sure to reserve about 2/3 cup of the starchy pasta water.
3. Sear the Chicken and Prep the Base Lightly spray a skillet with cooking spray and add the seasoned chicken. Cook over medium heat for 5–10 minutes until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. Add the minced garlic and halved cherry tomatoes to the pan with a small splash of water. Let the tomatoes blister in the heat, then gently smash them with the back of a spatula to release their juices.
4. Build the Creamy Sauce Stir the light cream cheese into the skillet and crumble in the 1/2 bouillon cube. Pour in 1/2 to 2/3 cup of the reserved pasta water. Mix consistently until the cheese and water emulsify into a smooth, creamy sauce.
5. Toss the Pasta Add the cooked linguine to the pan. Toss it thoroughly to coat every strand in the sauce, letting it simmer for a couple of minutes so the sauce can thicken and cling to the pasta.
6. Fry the Halloumi and Glaze In a separate lightly greased pan, cook the halloumi cubes over medium heat until they are golden brown on all sides. In a small dish, mix the honey, lemon juice, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Drizzle this mixture over the warm halloumi, toss quickly to coat, and remove from the heat immediately to avoid burning the honey.
7. Garnish and Serve Plate the creamy chicken pasta in a bowl, top it with the hot honey halloumi, and finish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.
Pro Tip: Be sure to smash the tomatoes thoroughly. The juices from the blistered tomatoes combined with the bouillon and cream cheese create the “blush” color and deep flavor that makes this sauce so special.
Recipe Tips
- Reserved Water – Don’t forget to save your pasta water! The starch in that water is what allows the cream cheese to turn into a cohesive sauce rather than just melting.
- Halloumi Prep – Pat the halloumi dry with a paper towel before cubing and frying. This helps it achieve a better golden crust and prevents it from steaming in the pan.
- Glaze Timing – Add the honey mixture only at the very end. Honey sugars burn quickly, so you only want it in the pan long enough to coat the hot cheese and warm through.
FAQs
What can I use if I cannot find halloumi? While halloumi is unique because it does not melt, you can use “breading cheese” or a firm paneer as a substitute, though the flavor will be milder.
Is this dish very spicy? It has a gentle warmth from the red pepper flakes. You can increase or decrease the flakes in the hot honey to suit your personal spice preference.
Can I make the sauce thicker? Yes, simply let the pasta and sauce simmer together for an extra minute. The pasta will continue to absorb the liquid, thickening the sauce naturally.
Serving Suggestions
- Side Salad – A simple arugula salad with a light lemon vinaigrette complements the richness of the halloumi perfectly.
- Bread – Serve with a slice of toasted ciabatta to soak up any remaining creamy sauce.
- Extra Citrus – A few extra lemon wedges on the side can help brighten the dish even more just before eating.
Make This Recipe in Advance
You can season the chicken and halve the tomatoes earlier in the day to save time. The hot honey can also be whisked together and kept in a small jar. However, halloumi is best served immediately after frying to maintain its crispy-on-the-outside, squeaky-on-the-inside texture.
Hot Honey Halloumi Chicken Linguine
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 Serving 1x
Description
This Hot Honey Halloumi Chicken Linguine is the ultimate fusion of sweet heat and savory comfort. Featuring a silky, cream-cheese-based tomato sauce and golden, glazed halloumi, it offers a perfect balance of salty cheese and spicy honey in a restaurant-quality meal.
Ingredients
The Chicken & Pasta
- 3.5 oz chicken breast, diced
- 1.8 oz linguine
- Spice Blend: 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/2 tsp onion powder
- Cooking spray
The Creamy Blush Sauce
- 5–8 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons light cream cheese
- 1/2 chicken bouillon cube
- 2/3 cup reserved pasta water
The Hot Honey Halloumi
- 1 oz halloumi cheese, cubed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Prep & Sear: Season chicken with spices. Cook in a sprayed skillet over medium heat until browned. Cook linguine in salted water; reserve 2/3 cup starchy water before draining.
Sauce Base: Add minced garlic and cherry tomatoes to the chicken skillet. Let tomatoes blister and smash them with a spatula.
Emulsify: Stir in cream cheese, bouillon, and reserved pasta water. Stir until smooth.
Toss: Add linguine to the sauce and simmer for 1–2 minutes until coated.
Halloumi: In a separate pan, fry halloumi cubes until golden. Whisk honey, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes; toss with the cheese and remove from heat. Serve over pasta.
Notes
Starch is Secret: Pasta water is the emulsifier that binds cream cheese into a silky sauce.
Tomato Smash: Smashing the blistered tomatoes releases acidic juices that cut through the richness of the cheese.
Glaze Timing: Add honey glaze only at the very end to prevent burning.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop / Skillet
- Cuisine: Mediterranean Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bowl
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 940mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: hot honey halloumi, chicken linguine recipe, sweet and spicy pasta, 20 minute dinners, halloumi chicken pasta, light cream cheese pasta sauce
